UNLIKE what most people believe, the elderly do not lose their teeth because they have grown old. A person loses them because of diseases.
For example, my maternal grandmother died at the age of 85 without losing a single adult tooth. Often, oral diseases reflect general ones. Remember, the risk of disease increases with age. So, there is no such thing as natural tooth loss in adults. No adult must lose a normal tooth if they do not want to.

General research on the human aging process has demonstrated that it is the effects of a disease, not ageing itself, that is most significant for our perception of ourselves and others as either ‘youthful’ or ‘elderly’ in the later years of life. We often become bashful about our age as we grow older. We are so influenced by today’s youth culture that youthfulness remains an ideal for us even when we have reached a considerable age. It is not surprising that the chronological aging process is a traumatic experience for many.

It’s unfortunate that I see many patients where there is no alternative but to extract all their existing teeth because they had to be condemned due to gum disease and rot. Fortunately, dental restoration has evolved tremendously over the years. For instance, roundhouse dentures are only artificial teeth held onto the jaw by six or eight mini-implants. Placing those mini-implants is done in about half an hour, and the procedure is painless.

Dental diseases and alterations in saliva and mucous membranes may be early symptoms of a decrease in the general health status of elderly people. These may indicate a weakening of the tissues’ biological defence thresholds against different stresses. Few tissues in the human body must withstand what the oral tissues endure, not only in terms of possible dryness but also mechanically, thermally, microbially, chemically, and galvanically (electrically).

We should therefore not be afraid of age and carry the belief that our teeth will be lost because of it. Instead, we should be aware of health hazards that tend to exaggerate our actual age, making us appear and behave much older than we are.

As one of the dentists designated to treat National Insurance Scheme pensioners, I tell them that they should observe the following principles regarding oral health:

1. Do not have your teeth extracted unless the dentist deems it necessary. The presence of even a few teeth in your mouth is vital for denture satisfaction.

2. If you still have a few teeth, be sure to take extra care of them. Their preservation can mitigate much of the unfortunate loss of the rest.

3. While dentures can never substitute natural teeth, they may provide physical, psychological, and social compensation. The state of a person’s mouth tells a lot about them.

4. Consult a dentist early if you ever experience or observe anything in and/or around your mouth that you consider to be unusual.